In the framework of the LIFE-IP AdaptInGR Project, a working meeting on the Adaptation of Shipping and Coastal Zones to Climate Change was held on Monday, March 11, 2024, which is part of the actions to inform and activate professional groups on climate change adaptation issues.
This is the 2nd consecutive meeting organized and hosted by the Mariolopoulio-Kanaginio Environmental Sciences Foundation, partner of the Project. A corresponding thematic meeting with the representatives of the tourism and insurance sectors has been also held on November 6, 2023.
During the meeting, there was a discussion on the need for faster adaptation of the Shipping and Coastal Zone sectors to Climate Change and an exchange of views regarding the challenges of adaptation and resilience of infrastructure to climate change, while it became clear that the protection of the country from economic, environmental and social impacts of the climate crisis is a matter of major importance.
The event was attended and contributed with their key positions:
The President of the Mariolopoulio-Kanaginio Foundation for Environmental Sciences, Professor Christos Zerefos, who moderated the discussion,
the Head of the Directorate of Climate Change and Atmospheric Quality of the Ministry of Environment and Energy, Artemis Gryllia, who represented the Secretary General of Natural Environment and Water of the Ministry, Petros Varelidis,
the Deputy Director of the Environmental Licensing Directorate of the Ministry of Environment and Energy, Alexandros Koulidis,
the Director of the Staff Office of the Minister of Shipping & Insular Policy, Preveza Ilias,
the Chief of the Coast Guard of the Hellenic Coast Guard, Vice-Admiral Georgios Alexandrakis,
the Director of the 2nd Maritime Branch of the Hellenic Coast Guard, Rear Admiral Reizis Drosos,
the Director of the Directorate of Sailors Training of the Hellenic Coast Guard, Captain Petropoulos Eleftherios,
the Honorable President of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Hellenic Shipowners' Union, Nikolaos Veniamis,
the Secretary of the Board of Directors of the Union of Greek Shipowners, Dimitrios I. Fafalios,
the Head of the Piraeus Port Authority, Dimitrios Spyrou,
the President of the Association of Passenger Shipping Businesses SEEN, Dionysios Theodoratos, and the Director Konstantinos Gionas,
the President of the Maritime Chamber of Greece, George Pateras,
the Director of the Association of Shipowners of Short Sea Shipping, Danani Tsopela,
the Head of the Department of Spatial Planning and Infrastructure of the Ministry of Tourism, Lena Hatzigeorgiou,
the Deputy Director of ELKETHE / Institute of Oceanography, Vasilios Kapsimalis,
as well as officials from the Ministries of Environment and Energy, Shipping and Island Policy, Tourism, the Bank of Greece, the Mariolopoulio - Kanaginio Foundation for Environmental Sciences and the Academy of Athens.